Marinol is the brand name in the United States for the generically named dronabinol. It is a prescription-level medication used to prevent vomiting and the associated nausea from receiving treatment for cancer with drugs. The Mayo Clinic states this medicine is used primarily when other types of anti-nausea drugs fail to relieve the problem. Marinol also may be used as an appetite stimulant in people who are suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS.
Mental Side Effects
Taking the Marinol pill may affect your thought processes, especially when you begin treatment. You may, for example, become confused, Drugs.com states. This could mean you have trouble with ordinary tasks or simple recollections such as what you are doing, where you are or where you are going. You may be confused about what is happening around you, too. The medication also may raise the level of your mood and make you feel relaxed. Concentration difficulties also are quite common with Marinol. There also is the potential for feeling very sleepy when you start the drug. These types of effects are classified as non-serious and temporary, reportable to your physician only if they persist or are overly annoying.
Pain and Weakness
In many cases, pain is a common, temporary side effect of Marinol. Pain may occur in your stomach when you first take the medication and for a few days afterward while continuing to take it. You also may experience headaches. Another common and non-serious side effect of Marinol is a general weakness throughout your body or fatigue. This, too, should be temporary.
Coordination Problems
Marinol may induce problems with your balance and coordination. It may, for example, make you clumsy when reaching for items, or it may make you bump into objects or even fall. You may feel unsteady when you are walking and need to sit down. A sensation that you are spinning---or that objects and people around you are---also is a common, temporary side effect of Marinol. This dizziness should pass as you continue treatment.
